Wound healing Facts for Kids

When you get a cut or scrape, your body is amazing at fixing itself! When your skin or other body parts get hurt, the damaged area needs to be repaired. This process is called tissue healing or wound healing. It's how your body replaces the damaged parts with new, healthy tissue.

Hand abrasion

Approximate days since injury
0	3	17	30

Your skin has two main layers: the epidermis (the top, outer layer you can see) and the dermis (the deeper layer underneath). Together, they form a strong shield that protects your body from the outside world. When this shield is broken, your body starts a series of steps to fix the damage.

This healing process usually happens in a few clear stages. These stages include stopping the bleeding, fighting off germs, growing new tissue, and making the new tissue strong.

How Your Body Heals Wounds
Why Scars Form
When Healing Has Problems
Who Can Heal Wounds?
Images for kids
See also

How Your Body Heals Wounds

When you get a wound, your body kicks into action with a few important steps to heal it.

Stopping the Bleeding (Hemostasis)

The very first thing your body does is stop the bleeding. This stage is called hemostasis. Your blood has special parts called platelets that rush to the wound. They stick together and form a plug. Then, other things in your blood create a net-like clot to seal the broken blood vessels. This prevents too much blood loss and forms a temporary barrier.

Fighting Germs (Inflammation)

After the bleeding stops, the next stage is inflammation. This is when your body sends special cells to the wound. These cells clean out any dirt, dead tissue, and germs. The area around the wound might look red, swollen, and feel warm. This is a normal part of healing and shows your body is working hard to protect itself from infection.

Growing New Tissue (Proliferation)

Once the wound is clean, your body starts to build new tissue. This stage is called proliferation. New skin cells begin to grow and cover the wound. Blood vessels also start to form, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the healing area. This new tissue looks pink and bumpy at first.

Making it Strong (Remodeling)

The final stage is called remodeling or maturation. This is when the new tissue gets stronger and more organized. It can take a long time, sometimes months or even years, for the new tissue to fully mature. During this time, the scar tissue becomes flatter and less noticeable.

Why Scars Form

After a wound has fully healed, you will often see a scar. A scar is a mark left on the skin where new tissue has grown to repair a wound. It's your body's way of quickly patching up the damage. Even after a scar appears, your body continues to work on it, making it stronger and sometimes less visible over time.

When Healing Has Problems

Sometimes, things can go wrong during the healing process. One common problem is an infection. If germs get into the wound, they can slow down healing and might lead to a larger or more noticeable scar. It's important to keep wounds clean to help them heal properly.

Who Can Heal Wounds?

This amazing healing process isn't just for humans! Many animals can heal their wounds too. However, it's different for creatures with a hard outer shell, like insects or crabs, which are called arthropods. Their hard exoskeletons mean their healing process works differently.

Images for kids

Approximate times of the different phases of wound healing.
A scab covering a healing wound.
A special image of cells healing in a fruit fly larva. The arrow points to cells that have joined together.